The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-12-09

years ago didst find the well, bring me
some of that water. Stranger in Q strange
land, who used to hear sung among the
Highlands OF Scotland, to tho tune Of
"Bonnis Doom" 'Ths Star, the Star Of
Bethlehem" bring me some of that water.
Whosoever drinketh Of that watsr shall
never thirst.
Oh. that ono would give mo drinx Of the
water Of the wen Of Bethlehem, which IL by the
gate.
Again, this Gospel well, like the one
spoken OF in the text, Is . captured we'll.
David remembered the time when that
good water Of Bethlehem was in the pos.
session of his ancestors. His father drank
there, his mother drank there. He remem.
bered how the water tasted whom . boy
and came rp there from play.
We never forget the old we'll We used to
drink. out of when We were BOYS or girls.
There was something in it that blessed the
lips and refreshed the brow better than
any thing we have found since. As we
think of that dear old well the memories
OF the past flow into each other like crvs-
talline drops, sun-glinted, and all the
more as we remember that the hands that
used TO lay hold the rope and the hearts
that beat against the well-cu are still
now. We never get over these rem.
inscences. George P. Morris, the great
song-writer Of the country. once said
to me that his song, "Woodman, Spare
That Tree" was sung i'm a great concert
hall, and the memories Of early life were
SO wrought upon the audiences by that
song, that after the ying was done an
aged man arose in the audience. over.
whelmed with emotion, and said: "Sir,
will you please to tell me whe'he the
woodman really spared ths tree?" We
never forget the tree under which we
played We never forge. the fountain at
which we drank. Alas for the man who
has no early memories!
David thought of that well, that boy
hood well, and he wanted drink OF it, but
he remembered that the Philistines had
captured it. When thoss three men tried
to come up to the we'll in behalf of David,
they saw swords cleaning around abont
1t. And this is true of this Gospel we'll.
The Philistines have at times captured it.
When we come to take full. old fash
Toned drink of pardon and comfort, do not
their swords of Indignation and sarcasm
flash? Why, the skeptics tell us that we
cen net come to this foun ain
They say the water is not fit to
drink, any how. IF you are really
thirsty now, there is the we'll
Of philosophy, there is the we'll Of art,
there is the well of science" They try to
instead Of our boyhoci faith, a
modern mixture. They say q great many
things about the soul, and they
try to feed our immortal hunger on rose.
leaves, and mix a mint-julep of worldly
when nothing will satisfy US
but
A drink OF the water OF the well Of Bethle-
hem, whichls by the gate.
They try to starve W ON husks, when
the Fathers banquet is ready, and the
best ring is taken from the casket, and
The sweetest harp is struck for the music,
and the swift ,st foot is already lifted for
tbs dance. They patronizs Heaven and
abolish hell, and try to measure eternity
with their hour-glass and the throne of
The great God with their yard-stick! I
abhor it. l tell you the old Gospel we'll is
\ captured well. l pray God that there
may be somewhere i'm the elect host thrse
anOinted men with courage enough to 90
forth in the strength Of the omnipotent
God, with the glittering swords of truth,
% hew the way back again to that old
we'll.
think the tide is turning, and that the
I'D Gospel is to take it's place a gain in the
amily, and in the university, and in the
legislative hail. Men have tried worldly
aud have found ont that
hey do not give any comfort, and that
hey drop an Arctic midnight upon tho
They fail when there is q
lead chill in tbs house; and when the
oul comes to leap into the fathomless
'cean of eternity, they gre to the man
lot SO much as a broken spar to cling to.
Depend upon it that we'll will come into
'ur possession again, though it has been
aptured. If there bs not three anointed
nen in the Lords host with conservation
o do the work, then the swords will leap
rom Jehovah's buckler, and the eternal
hree will dcscend-God the Father, God |
he Son. God the Holy Ghost-conquering |
or our dying racs the way back again to-
The water OF the well OF bethlehem, which is |
y the gate.
II God be for us. who can be against us!
II God spared not his own son. but freely |
ave him IN for us all. how shall he not with |
i'm also freely give us nll things.
For am persuaded that neither height nor |
epth. nor angels, nor principalities, nor |
overs, nor things present, nor things to come, |
hall take from us into final captivity,
he Gospel of my blessed Lord Jesus |
'hrist.
Again, the Gospel wall, like the one
pOken of in my text, is q well ut the |
ate. The traveller stops the camel to. |
ay and gets down and dips out OF the val. |
~ Of the East some very beautiful, clear,
right water. and that is out Of the very |
Tell that David lOnged for. Do you know |
hat that well was at the gate, SO that no. |
'Ody could go into Bethlehem without !
,oing right past it? And so it is with |
his Gospel well-it is at the gnts. 1t is,
n the first place, at the gate of purifica-
ion. We can not wash away our sins |
Mess with that water. l take the |
espOns Utility of saying that there is
o man, woman or child in this /
louse to-day that has escaped sinful de-
lement. Do you say it is outrageous
nd ungallant for me to make such a /
barge: Do you say, 81 have never
tolen-I have never blasphemed-I have
ever committed unchastity-Ihave never
cen guilty of murder!" l reply, you
ave committed a sin worse than bias
henry, worse than unchastity, worse
nan theft, worse than murder. We have
II committed 1t. We have by our sin re-
rucified the Lord, and that is decide.
nd if there be any who dare to plead
not guilty" to the Indictment, then the
Osts OF Heaven will be impaloled as q
lry to render unanimous verdict |
gninst us. With what a slashing stroke
hat one Tassage cuts US away from all
ur prefer sions:
There is none that doeth good-ro, not one.
'Oh," says some one, ''all We want, all
he race wants, is development" Now l
amt to tell you that the race develops
'ithout the Gospel into a Sodom, Five
oints, a Great Salt Lake City. 1t al.